Phillipsburg herald. [volume] (Phillipsburg, Kan.) 1882-1905, 1887-04-16

The observations Of meteorolOgiats,
says the Electric ReDte1D. show that the
vapCr which ascends IN an invisible
shape from the ground carries with it
IA calm and hne weather, into the
region OF the air, 8 very considerable
supply Of positive electricity. Each
minute vapor particle that goes up
bears its own portion of the load
When, however, the invisible Vapor has
thus mounted into very high regions Of
the air it loses its inYisibility, and Is
condensed into visible mist Eumer-
Gus particles Of the aqueous substance
are drawn close together and grouped
into the form Of little Yesicles or
glObules. Each one Of these is then q
reservoir or receptacle OF electrical
force, and as more and more watery
vesicles are condensed more and more
electricity Is collected IN the gathering
mist; but each Of the white globules is
still envelOped by a space Of clear air.
In q drifting cloud the mist speeks
can be discerned floating along with
transparent intervals between. The
clear air which lies around the globules
Of vapor then acts as an Insulating in
Vestment; it imprisons its own part Of
the acquired electrical force in each
separate glObule. The cloud is
thus not charged as a whole, like
continuous mass of metal, with
Is electricity spread upon its
outer surface. It is interpenetrated
everywhere with the force. It is COM
posed Of a myriad of electrified specks,
each having its own particular share of
the electric force, and each acting as q
center Of electrical energy on its own
account. The electricity which at any
one instant resides In the outer surface
OF q cloud is, therefore, but a compare
lively small portion Of that which is
present in the entire vaporous mass.
That such Is the way In which cleo
tricity is stored in the clouds has been
proven by direct observation. When
a gOld-leaf electrometer is placed in
the midst Of a cloud driven along by
the wind It Is seen that the strips Of
gold-leaf continually diverge and col
lapse as the mass Of the cloud passes
along. There is an electrical charge
acting In all parts, but the charge
varies In intensity from place to place,
accordingly as there is a greater or less
condensation of the particles Of vapor
in each particular spot. But the infu-
ence externally eXerted by the cloud is
nevertheless capable Of being raised
to q very intense degree, because it is,
50 to speak, the sum total or outcome
Of the forces contained In the innumer-
able internal centers Of energy.
1t IS no uncommon thing for the
electrical force emanating from a cloud
to make itself felt IN attractions and
repulsions many miles away. Clouds
resting on the remote horizon thus fre-
quently produce perceptible effects at
distances from which the clouds them
selves can Lot be seen. An electrical
cloud hanging q mile above the ground
acts inductiYely upon the ground with
considerable power. When IN summer
time the temperature of the earth's
surface is very high, the ground moist,
the air calm, and sky clear, very copi-
Gus supplies Of vapor are steamed up
from the ground under the hot sun
shine.
Clouds, however. begin at length to
gather IN elevated regions of the air
out Of the abundance Of the supply. /
The free electricity which has been
carried up with the VapOr is at first
pretty evenly spread through the
clouds; but after time, as the electri-
cal charge becomes more and more in /
tense, powerful repulsive force Is in
the end established between the spher- /
uIes Of the mist, and a very high de-
gree OF tension Is at last produced at |
the outer surface of the cloud, where
It Is envelopsd by Insulating air, until
IN the end the expansive energy there |
becomes strong enough to occasion an /
Outburst from the the cloud. The es- |
cape of the redundant charge then ap-
pears to an Observers eye as q fash Of |
issuing from the cloud. Such, |
IN its simplest form, is the way in |
which lightning is kindled in the storm
cIon1